Origins: Dawn Rose Dewdrop
by Dawn Totadile
Summary: An origin story on my cleric; Dawn Rose Dewdrop, who happens to be my favored character when playing. Find out how favored one can be, even when they live in a sewer tunnel as you follow Dawn through her life from her first days into the world, to her first steps as a real playable character. Rated for Safety
1. Chapter 1

Deep in the city of Neverwinter, in the middle of a winter storm just nearing the beginnings of spring, the crying of a babe could be heard. The storm's howling wind was just slightly quieter than the child, but still no one came. The child's wail became weaker as the time went by. The infant was about to give into the cold world surrounding her and close her eyes when something came to her. A little brown mouse came and nudged her, keeping her awake with it's warm fur tickling her.

A few minutes later, a young boy came. "What did you find, my friend?" He spoke with an ancient voice and aura, but he looked like a simple urchin. He had dirty brown hair and bright blue eyes that seemed to have a glowing affect about them, and he seemed to radiate wisdom and knowledge. "Ah, you found a lost one." The boy picked up the child and cradled her in his arms under his cloak. "Looks like you've been favored, little one." The storm seemed to slow down around them as the sun started rising over the city walls. "I think I'll name you Dawn. The gods have smiled on you today, child. You shall not die so young."

Dawn had bright blue eyes filled with wonder and a sense of wisdom as the boy took her underground. He took her among the other urchins that lived there and brought him to his own little home in the sewers. She had stopped crying when he had picked her up and now looked at him curiously. She had dark hair that was as black as the shadows of midnight, but had a white streak in her hair that seemed like a white bolt of lightning, or a streak of purity perhaps? A strange legionnaire's emblem of some foreign nation was all that she had to pin her dark blue blanket together. It was some sort of hybrid between a raven and a dragon, but the emblem was obviously made from a Neverwinter Craftsmen.

"You shall grow to know so many things on your journey in this life, my young one." He pushed back her hair to reveal her somewhat pointy ears, revealing her to be a half-elf. "Ah, they left you for that reason. Such a shame too. You look like you'll make any human jealous of you, and yet you'll have many elves scorn you for your heritage. You shall not be ashamed of what you are though, as you will have the knowledge to be the better person. I just hope that I am right about you, little one…"


	2. Chapter 2

Dawn had been with the mysterious boy known only as Ray for five years now, and had even come to call him her father. She had grown into a curious young girl with a knack for healing. She would bandage other children who were injured, and learned all she could from the urchins that were older. She would often find herself in the company of Thorn the mouse, who she had known since the day she had been brought into the little group.

Many did not understand the complexity of the Urchin life. There were the beggars, who brought in the spare coin that was given to them by the kind surface dwellers that deemed them worthy of a coin. There were the thieves that brought treasures and candies to the children. There were the entertainers who served as a distraction for the thieves, and entertained the children when the night was done. There were all sorts of what people called "Unsavory" characters who were just doing what they could to survive, just like any other person, and Dawn was among them.

Dawn had found at a young age that she was naturally gifted in the ways of healing and comforting, but she was also skilled in self-defense. Ray would often ask her what she planned on doing when she grew older. "I'll probably do what I'm doing now, seeking knowledge while helping those who need it." Ray would always smile at that response.

Dawn's raven hair with white lightning had reversed its color scheme, turning into a brilliantly golden white hair with a black lightning bolt in it. Her eyes were a fierce green and blue that sent shivers down the spines of many who would dare to harm one of her fellow urchins, especially one younger than her.

The rule of the streets was that you stick with your partner, or you might just be asking for your demise. Unfortunately, the great Neverwinter Plague broke that rule just as fast as magic could be cast.


	3. Chapter 3

No one was safe it seemed. No one, but the urchins in the sewers. It always amazed Dawn how her make shift home deep in the sewers was the safest place in the entire city. Dawn had gathered as many of the healthy as she could, and brought them safely to her home under the Castle Neverwinter. It always confused her as to why she liked it under the castle, but somehow she felt like it was just where she belonged. The sick were brought to the underground area beneath the temple of Tyr; a god of justice that held one of the more prominent temples in the city. Dawn did her best to heal them, never seeming to become sick herself until after a cleric from a far off city managed to create the cure and save the city. Unfortunately, the city demanded a hanging and hung an innocent man in place of the ones who had really created and started the plague. Dawn was ten when it ended, and she knew what had really happened. Dawn knew who was truly responsible for the death of many of her friends, and the disappearance of her guardian, Ray.

Dawn had witnessed it, and saw the sparks of doom hidden within the eyes of a paladin that had been the innocent elf's lover. Dawn predicted what was to happen long before the paladin fell from her deity's grace. It was all obvious in the eyes of a knowledge keeper, but the gods of Knowledge were not as greatly celebrated as the god of Justice in the city of Neverwinter.

After the plague had ended, many had combed the city in search of those who still lived and had natural healing capabilities. Dawn was one such child. Dawn helped the rest of the underground urchins to heal themselves as they made their way through life, but was weary of those on the surface who would take what little she had left away from her.


	4. Chapter 4

Dawn was twelve when she was initiated as a Harper. Her sharp eyes noticed things that many others would have missed. She had been following one of the other urchins that night, a thief Halfling that had helped to save Neverwinter from the plague; Tommy Undergallows. Dawn never judged someone based off of race, but this fellow was suspicious, even for a Halfling. Dawn had used all her stealth skills to try to follow without detection.

The Halfling knew that she was there though. He didn't give her any sign that he knew, but he was definitely interested in how she would do. He tried to shake her as he ran across the city. He had managed to slip past many of the guards, just as she did, even though he was one half of the heroic team that had found the cure to the plague. Tommy snuck into a building in the rich and posh district past the Beggar's Nest.

Dawn didn't know why, but she didn't like having a fellow running around her hometown, possibly causing trouble, without knowing what he was up to. Dawn noticed that the thief had gotten in far easier than he should have and frowned. He had been expected. Dawn looked up at the building and grinned. 'Time to practice my own skills.' She looked into her little bag that she always kept on her. She pulled out a rope and then put it back. 'Nothing for it to grab onto, and it'll draw suspicion…' She then looked at the building's structure in the moonlight. It had more than enough holes in it, as well as bricks that were shoddily placed. 'Way too easy.'

Dawn made her way over to the building, using the shadows as her cover and started climbing the building after she was certain that the guard wasn't going to turn up. She made her way up to the window in the tower. She kept her head down as she checked to see if anyone was there. The coast was clear. She eased herself in, wearing nothing but her ragged clothes. She sniffed the air, trying to dictate how far off the occupants of the tower were from her. Her eyes widened as she realized they were heading in her direction! She noticed a cabinet where she could squeeze herself into. She carefully rearranged the glasses in the cabinet so that they were all on the shelf above her as she squeezed herself into the lower cabinet portion. 'Please don't find me…' she prayed silently, hoping for some deity to protect her, though it was rare to find one willing to even take the time to answer an urchin's prayer.

She was relieved that no one opened the cabinet, but she barely breathed as a meeting seemed to have started. She recognized some of the voices, including that of a few nobles that were kind towards the poorer people of the city, and the voice of Tommy Undergallows! "See, I's gotta catch up ta me mate, Alura. Fine cleric she is, she'll need my help again to finish solving this bit ere, ey?"

"Indeed, Mr. Undergallows. The two of you make a fine team, and I'm sure she'd appreciate having someone she can trust to come with her on this quest to find out who is behind all of this." This voice was dark, ominous, and yet feminine.

"We have all discussed our newest member to the group, and are we all in agreement?" This voice was male and it made Dawn's stomach clench.

"I think the subject is too young. No background either. It's too shady." One voice put in.

"Yet they come highly recommended." Another pointed out.

After a few minutes, Tommy spoke up again. "Look, as much as we'd like to question her about everything, I do believe it's past a few people's curfew here. **_Hers_** included."

"Whose?" One of the noble women asked.

Dawn bit her lip, feeling a gut clenching feeling about being caught. Her suspicion was confirmed by Tommy's next words. "Why the young lady who's hiding in the drink cupboard. Oy, Dawn, was it? Come on out, will ya?" Dawn kept quiet, hoping they would think he was just bluffing. Tommy just rolled his eyes and walked over to the cupboard that Dawn was hiding in. He opened the door and grabbed an arm. "Come on, no one's gonna bite."

Dawn reluctantly left the cupboard. The nobles and other people around her who were not rouges or urchins were shocked by how they had not noticed the young girl who was hidden in the tiny cupboard. Truthfully, Dawn was grateful to be out of the tiny place, but was still nervous. Only a handful of the people in the room knew who she was or what she was. The rest were aristocrats of some sort.

Dawn held herself at full height, not wanting to look scared. Her blonde hair was covered in dirt and dust, but still held a touch of shine somehow. Her blue and green eyes radiated confidence and wisdom as she looked to each person who was staring at her. Somehow, she seemed to radiate a touch of regality without knowing it.

"See ere, none a ya knew she was here, and yet, she kept silent and learned all, eh?" Tommy smirked as he patted the girl's back. Dawn blushed at the praise, unused to comments like that.

The next thing Dawn knew, she had been given a parcel and was told she was now an official Harper, of the Watchmen rank. It had been so confusing that Dawn didn't even realize that she had been escorted out to the sewer tunnels. Dawn went to bed that night knowing only that she had been promised that they would look into her origins based off of the strange insignia she always wore, and in return, she would assist them in trying to keep the balance. Dawn smirked as she read the letter that was in the parcel. It was her guarantee that she was going to be something special. 'Looks like I need to train more though.' She thought in embarrassment as she realized how easily Tommy had known she was there.


	5. Chapter 5

Dawn was fourteen when things really took a turn for the worse. She had been very worried when some of the estranged followers of some random deity had come to town, and started causing trouble. By picking on the urchins only, they gained less trouble from the higher ups in the city, but had made some strong enemies of the urchins themselves. Dawn herself had hidden all of the children into her own home and helped out any of the others that needed it. People like Dawn were the glue that kept the little family together.

Unfortunately, they found out what she was doing and decided that she was going against **_their god's_** wishes by protecting them. Dawn found herself backed into a corner with only her slingshot and Thorn on her side. She was not ready to go down without a fight! Though she managed to knock out a few, she was still outnumbered, and had ordered Thorn to warn the others to stay hidden.

Dawn fell to the ground unceremoniously as the men ganged up on her, heckling her and cackling at what they would do to her. A sorcerer in the group who was beyond drunk, had a "Brilliant" idea! They would hold the girl up and brand her with the symbol of their deity so that they could claim her as theirs no matter what happened. The others were all in for it, lifting the unconscious girl's left hand to brand it with the mark of their evil deity.

A flash of light disrupted the spell though, the mark of their deity not showing up into the girl's now burnt hand, but the mark of another deity had shown instead! The men dropped her instantly as she had tried to regain consciousness. Instead of waking up, her fall to the stone streets only encouraged her back into the dark recesses of her mind.

"You have no right to claim her as your own in the name of your deity, foolish ones…" is the last thing she hears as she fades back into darkness. The last thought on her own mind is on the voice, so familiar, but she hadn't heard it in so long… 'Father?'


End file.
